Egedal Kommune has set an ambitious course towards becoming climate neutral and climate resilient by 2045 at the latest as part of the DK2020 collaboration. With the climate plan "Sammen om en grøn hverdag" (Together for a green everyday), the municipality signals that the green transition is not just about infrastructure and technology, but about creating a culture where sustainable choices become a natural part of everyday life for all citizens and businesses. In 2019, Egedal Kommune emitted 173,493 tonnes of CO2, corresponding to four tonnes per inhabitant (p. 6). The energy sector accounts for the largest share at 45% of emissions, followed by transport at 27% and agriculture at 23% (p. 6). The remaining 4% comes from waste, wastewater and chemical processes. What is notable about Egedal's emissions profile is the significant share from agriculture, where 72% of agricultural emissions originate from the municipality's 904 hectares of lowland soils - former wetlands that were drained for agricultural purposes (p. 7). The details of the emissions breakdown reveal Egedal's particular challenges. Within the energy sector, 68% of emissions come from private households, where many still use individual gas heating (p. 7). In transport, passenger cars dominate with 85% of the sector's emissions, despite the municipality's good S-train and bus connections and extensive cycle path network (p. 17). Agriculture consists primarily of smaller farms, including many horse farms, which give the area its distinctive character (p. 19). The most transformative initiatives target energy and lowland soils. Varmeplan 2023 aims to ensure that 80% of citizens have access to district heating by 2030, while fossil-free energy production is to replace the current gas and oil boilers (p. 15). In parallel, the municipality has identified five specific lowland soil projects in collaboration with Naturstyrelsen that can retire 500 hectares of lowland soils by 2030 (p. 19). In transport, the focus is on a combination of electrification through the Charging Station Strategy 2023 and behavioural changes that are to reduce the number of kilometres driven by 5% by 2030 (p. 17). Although the climate plan contains ambitious measures, the municipality honestly acknowledges that there will still be a shortfall of 25,667 tonnes of CO2 reduction in 2045 (p. 13). The majority of this shortfall lies within the agriculture and energy sectors. The municipality is counting on technological development, including CO2 capture from Vestforbrænding, to close this gap (p. 13). The challenge is underscored by the fact that citizens' total consumption emissions amount to 17.6 tonnes of CO2 per person annually - far more than the four tonnes recorded in the official accounts (p. 22). Citizen engagement is central to the strategy. The municipality will activate its strong community associations through climate agendas in homeowner associations and Open School programmes that connect children and young people with local businesses on sustainability (p. 22). For businesses, targeted guidance on green measures is offered, while the municipal organisation itself leads the way by replacing its vehicle fleet with electric cars and implementing climate-conscious procurement policies (pp. 20-21). With this multifaceted approach, Egedal Kommune hopes to demonstrate that climate action can strengthen both the community and the local economy.

Source: Klimaplan 2045 – Sammen om en grøn hverdag (2023)